The pandemic has had a profound impact on our health, a lack of connection being one of the biggest injuries to our sense of who we are.
As things unlock in the UK, it is likely that initially people's symptoms will heighten rather than diminish.
This is because in difficult situations stress is greater than support, and that stress gets accumulated in the body and later shows as mental and physical health symptoms.
When difficult experiences end and normality returns, we then release that stress, which looks a lot like physical and mental illness.
Think of it this way; when things are very difficult, all resources are channelled into survival. There's no time to process anything in this scenario, it is either fight (creating inflammation), flight (withdrawal) or freeze (total numbness and brain fog).
Bring back a healthy environment (more resources including connection) and a chance to relax and we start to make the return journey to wellness, offloading that stress as we go.
The sorts of things people might experience as they are healing are:
A sense of unease and unfamiliarity
A busy mind and racing thoughts
Seeing abstract images or colours
Feeling more emotional or tired than normal
Speaking up and prioritising self-care
Setting boundaries and saying no
A shift in their relationships
A change in what they like or find interesting
Being more authentic, even if it feels strange at first.
It's important to understand this natural phenomena, otherwise the process gets misunderstood and healing gets thwarted.
The list above is some of the things that happen when harmony and a new normal is being established. These are not "bad" signs, usually they are the consequences of recallibration and will pass in a day or two. If in doubt monitor your symptoms and speak to your practioner or healthcare provider.
Having been through burnout and rehabilitated myself (which remains an ongoing journey), I offer a range of services to help people let go of stress and move forwards. Get in touch to talk about your specific issue, or sign up for Coaching Session, Reiki Treatment or one of our wellbeing Events to receive support to deal with your previous experiences.